Automatic pedal latch



Patented Dec. 29, 1925.

Parleztrrg OFFICE.

GEORGE D. TALLEY, OF MEXICO, MISSOURI.

AU'roMATio PEDAL LATCH.

Application md June 4, 1925. Yserial No. 34,914'.

To all 'wiz/0m t may @0n/cern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE D. TALLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing. at Mexico, in the county of Audrain and State 5 of Missouri,have. invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Pedal ALatches; and I do hereby declareA thek following to beV a full, clear,and exact 'description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same. .l

The invention relates to means for latching and holding a pedal used incontrolling the operation of automobiles and hasparticular reference tothat type of automobile employing a pedal for controlling the clutch andthe high and low speed transmission and has for its object the provisionof means by which the pedal may be latched either in neutral or lowposition and expeditiously released therefrom when it is desired to gointo high.

Heretofore in operating automobiles of the type referred to it has beennecessary when it is desired to run in low gear to hold the pedaldepressed with one of the feet of the operator and no provision hasvbeen made by which the pedal may be held in a neutral or ungearedposition while operating a 0 starter or cranking the engine to start themotor. This invention provides means by which this may be accomplished,and thus add to the efficiency of the operation of an automobile of thetype mentioned.

The device will be described in detail hereinafter and will be foundillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sideView of a clutch pedal showing the latching attachment associated Otherewith,

Figure 2 is a section on a plane indicated by the line 2 2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 `a detail view of a fragment of the pedal arm showing thelatching pin in position thereon, and Figure 4, a view in perspective ofthe latch pin.

In the drawings similar reference characters will be used to designatecorresponding parts inthe several views. y

The pedal Ashown in the drawings is the pedal used to control the clutchand the transmission of an automobile of the type having pedal controlfor these parts, said pedal operating through a slot in the licor B ofthe automobile in the usual manner.

The latch attachment comprises a support having a base plate 1 that issecured to the floor B at one side of the pedal and in close proximitythereto, and besides supporting the latch attachment serves to reinforcethe Hoor at this point which is one of the weakest points of the iioorof the type of car hereinbefore referred to. 2 indicates an upright angeon one edge of the base plate l and is designed to support thetriangularshaped plate 3 having its upper edge curved as shown at 4 andprovided with an extension 5 at its wider end. Plate 3 is supported onthe upright extension 2 by vmeans of a pin Gand a pin or'bolt 7 thatengages the slot 8 in the plate 3, the surface of the plate adjacent tothe walls of the slot being coi-- rugated or roughened as shown at 9,while the inner face of the head of ther bolt '7 should also beroughened or corrugated to f efficiently hold the plate in adjustedpositions. The necessity for adjusting thek plate 3 which supports thelatching member to be hereinafter described is that the device may bearranged to operate satisfactorily under all conditions of variation inthe angle of the iioor on which the device is mounted and the'arc of themovement of the pedal.

10 indicates a lever that is bifurcated as shown to form two prongs 11and straddle the extension 5 to which the prongs are pivoted by means ofa pin 12, the ends of the prongs being curved downwardly andsubstantially horizontally to form a heel rest 13 for operation of thelever. The other extremity of the lever is provided with a weight 14 andnormally tends to hold that end of the lever in a lowered position.

The under face of lever 10 is provided with ratchet teeth 15. Securedtoy the pedal A by means of a band 16, is a bolt or pin 17 secured toflanges 18 on said band by means of nuts 19 engaging a threaded end 2Oof the pin or bolt it being understood that this construction admits ofadjusting the pin or bolt lengthwise of the pedal arm and also that itsend to be hereinafter described may be yproperly adjusted to Lengage theplate 3 and the lever 10. The head of thc f pin 17 is formedsubstantially wedge-shaped as shown having a vertical face 21, aninclined top surface 22, and the under side is formed with a shoulder 23providing a bearing surface 24 that engages on the curved 11'@ upperedge 4 of the plate 3. The edge formed by the vertical face 2l and thetop surface 22 is engaged by the lower face of the lever l0 at all timesand serves to hold the lever l0 in its proper relationship With thecurved edge 4 of the plate 8, and When the pedal is moved rearwardlyfrom the forwardmost position the head of the pin 17 will be engaged bythe ratchet teeth l5 and Will hold the pedal in its rear position. Thenit is desired to release the pedal to resume its forwardmost position,the operator places his heel on the rest 13 ofl the lever l() and bypressing doi'vnwardly lifts the lever l0 to release the ratchet teethfrom engagement with the pin head when the pedal will immediately resumeits forwardniost position, or the operator may ease it to theforwardmost position with the toe of the same foot used for actuatingthe lever.

That is claimed is:

l. In combination with a pedal for controlling the clutch of anautomobile trans mission system, an angular support suitably securedadjacent to the pedal, a plate adj ustably secured to said support, alever fulcrumed on said plate, ratchet teeth 011 said lever, and meansassociated with the pedal to engage said teeth to hold the pedal in adjusted positions. j

2. In combination with a pedal for co1- trolling the clutch of anautomobile transmission system, an angular support suit. ably securedadjacent to the pedal, a plate adjustably secured to said support, abell crank lever fulerumed on said plate, one of the arms of said leverbeing Weighted, ratchet teeth on said Weighted arm, the other arm havinga lateral treadle extension, and means associated lwith the pedal toengage said teeth to hold the pedal in adjusted positions.

3. In Combination with a pedal for oontrolling the clutch of anautomobile transmission system, an angular support suitably securedadjacent to the pedal, la plate adjustably secured to said support andhaving its upper edge curved, a lever fulerumed on said plate, ratchetteeth on said lever, a dog carried by said pedal and engaging the curvededge of the plate and adapted to engage said ratehet teeth to hold thepedal in adjusted positions.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GEORGE n. TALLEY.

